Last Wednesday, a Pennsylvania judge rules that the Act 13 zoning provisions were unconstitutional, in the middle of a legal appeal.

Judge Pelligrini ruled that the original July 28 order stating that the zoning parts of Act 13 are unconstitutional will stand until the case is heard by the state Supreme Court. That provides clarity for townships during the appeal.

In the original ruling, the Commonwalth Court said parts of Act 13 that took away local control over drilling and gave it to the state were unconstitutional. The state appealed that decision.